Drive shafts conventionally used on motor vehicles consist of three components including a center tube section and a pair of opposite end torque transmitting members each including a shank portion snugly and seatingly telescopingly engaged within the corresponding tube member end. Each of the end members and the adjacent end edge of the tube member are peripherally welded together. When either an end member or a center tube section of a drive shaft are to be replaced, at least one end member of the drive shaft must be cut from the corresponding tube section end, axially displaced from engagement therewith and then replaced, if necessary. In addition, if the tube section is to be replaced, both end members must be cut therefrom and a new tube section must be installed between the two end members.
The repair of drive shafts in this manner is presently carried out through the utilization of an engine lathe upon which one or both end members may be cut from the corresponding tube member. After the necessary cut is made, the end member or component is then manually driven out of the center tube section and may be subsequently replaced. Drive shaft rebuilding is considerably less expensive than the purchase of a new drive shaft and in many instances considerably less inventory is required by a drive shaft rebuilder to make up any desired drive shaft than the inventory required by a drive shaft wholesaler to maintain a supply of each type of drive shaft which might be ordered.
Accordingly, the provision of an apparatus which may be used to precision rebuild, or construct from scratch, substantially any drive shaft in an efficient and time consuming manner is highly desirable. Further, if such an apparatus may be provided and operated more efficiently and quickly than an engine lathe, considerable additional savings may be realized in cost of equipment and man-hours required to rebuilt or construct new drive shafts.
Various different forms of tubular member cutting and joining tools as well as tools for pulling various end members from shaft ends heretofore have been provided such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,842,283, 3,003,231, 2,299,447, 3,722,778, 3,731,381 and 4,316,316. However, these previously known devices are not specifically designed to accomplish drive shaft rebuilding and constructing operations with the efficiency and savings in time possible with the drive shaft rebuilding machine of the instant invention.